Anti-racism measures? No thanks! FIFA member votes AGAINST new rules to combat abuse to leave Blatter red-faced

Sepp Blatter's hopes to stop the 'despicable offences' of racism in football recently have been dealt a blow after one member voted against the new measures at FIFA's congress in Mauritius.

FIFA passed a two-stage anti-racism
resolution with a 99 per cent majority at its congress in Mauritius on
Friday, but their vote had been expected to pass without any opposition.

Former South African apartheid prisoner Tokyo Sexwale was the guest speaker for the event and he urged the congress to check the cameras to see who voted against the new racism measures.

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Really Sepp? Blatter told the women to speak up because 'you are always speaking at home'

Sexwale said that the 1 per cent who voted against demonstrates how football still has to fight against racism.

The new regulations say a first or minor offense should be punished by a warning, fine or with a match having to be played behind closed doors.

Serious or repeat offenses can now be punished by a deduction of points, expulsion from a tournament or even relegation of the offending club.

FIFA also passed measures dictating that players or officials found guilty of racist abuse in any game should be banned for five matches. The sanction had previously only applied to FIFA internationals.

Ornate: Blatter receives a gift from Dinnanthall Persunnoo, President of the Mauritius FA

Protestors arrested

Demonstrators
protesting against the 2022 World Cup finals being held in Qatar were
arrested by police before the start of the Congress.

The
demonstration involved around eight people holding protest banners
demanding a revote of the 2010 decision to award Qatar hosting rights
for the World Cup.

South
African Gemma Swart, the ITUC's campaign and communications specialist,
told the media by telephone: 'We have been arrested and held in Port
Louis by police for an hour and half without charge.

'It
appears the local police authorities here have come under heavy
pressure from FIFA, who do no want to admit to any concerns about
workers' rights in Qatar.

Making his presidential address to
delegates from 208 of the world governing body's 209 members at the 63rd
FIFA Congress, Blatter spoke about the fight against racism and the
scourge of match-fixing.

'We have been through a difficult
time, it has been a test for the world of football and for those who
live in it,' the 77-year-old Swiss said.

'As the captain, I am pleased to say we have weathered the storm.

'We have emerged from the troubled
waters stronger and now we can look forwards to the future and waters as
calm as the beautiful sea around us in Mauritius and I think the boat
can now go slowly into the harbour.'

He
also used his speech to take a thinly veiled sideswipe at UEFA, at
loggerheads with Blatter over the age limit reforms, tolling Congress:
'FIFA is based on solidarity, democracy and here at this Congress, it is
one nation one vote as it should be in a democracy.

'But
reforming a great organisation is not about one person or interest
group dictating, but about 209 nations moving forward as one in
harmony.'

Best of friends? Michel Platini meeting with FIFA President Blatter

Blatter also spoke of the continuing fight against racism and match-fixing which continues to blight the sport.

'There
have been some despicable offences this year that have cast a long
shadow over football and the rest of society. I am speaking about the
politics of hate, racism,' he said.

'There is no place in football for racism and neither is there any place for match-fixing or manipulation.

'We have to be tough and we have to make it plain to the racists that their time is up, it is finished.

'And
there is no greater threat to our game than match-fixing - that comes
from within football. We need the help of public authorities and the
police everywhere to drive it from our game.'

Hushed: The congress listens to what Blatter has to say

The FIFA Congress later voted in Lydia Nsereka as the first woman to take a place on its executive committee.

Nsereka, who represents the Burundian Football Federation, collected 95 votes to see off three other candidates for the historic post, which carries a four-year mandate.

Two of those, Asian Football Confederation vice-president Moya Dodd (70 votes) and CONCACAF representative Sonia Bien-Aime (38 votes), have been co-opted to the ExCo for a one-year period.